Threads of Fate
by MapleRose
Summary: It's ironic isn't it, even though the war tore our lives apart and took the lives of those we love, it is also what brought us together. Collection of drabbles and oneshots exploring nonromantic relationships in SEED and possibly Destiny.
1. Athrun and Yzak: Friends

Foreword: This is going to be a collection of random one-shots and drabbles exploring the different types of relationships in SEED and possibly Destiny. Why am I doing this? Well I've got some random ideas and instead of uploading in separate stories, I'll put them together. The scenes will be random depending what inspires me at the moment, but the settings will be canon. I love the different types of relationships in SEED (maybe that's why I still like the series so much). Here, I'll write about friendships, rivalries, un-requited love, and other random relationships. However, I don't think I'll be including the romantic relationships between the canon couples, but we'll see.

The title is inspired by Kikyou (from Inuyasha)'s words about how once the strings of Fate are entangled, it can't be undone. And it is ironic, that the war took many of their friends, yet it brought them together.

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AN: This one was written some months ago actually, it's a challenge fic from AbbyKat, based on the poem "Sea Canes" by Derek Walcott. Parts of the scene is inspired by "Salute!" by mumyou nanashi. 

**Title/theme: **FRIENDS  
**Characters:** Athrun and Yzak  
**Approx time line: **GS phase 31  
**Summary:** "_They were a team, comrades, best friends_"

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"_Half my friends are dead.  
I will make you new ones, said earth  
No, give me them back, as they were, instead,  
with faults and all, I cried." _

Athrun stared at his food and found it hard to swallow. The silence was starting to get to him. He looked up across the table and stared at the silver-haired boy. He couldn't remember another time when Yzak was so quiet.

Yzak felt Athrun's gaze on him and looked up. "What do you want?"

Athrun looked away. "Nothing. It's just... too quiet."

The other boy growled low in his throat. "I don't need to be reminded."

"Yeah..."

Athrun looked at the empty seats around the table and suddenly felt nostalgic. He remembered how they always ate together, laughing and arguing. He remembered how Yzak would always challenge him, and how Dearka and Rusty would fuel the fight, laughing at the entertainment, while Nicol tried his best to calm everyone down.

But that was back in the days of the academy. Now all that was left of the Klueze team were the two of them.

He knew from the beginning that this would happen. How could he not, going into a battlefield.

But still, the idea of seeing his friends killed in front of his eyes haunted him. They were a team, comrades, best friends.

Rusty...Miguel...Nicol... and Dearka was MIA too, probably dead like his other friends.

"This is all your fault you know," Yzak mumbled through the thickening silence.

The words stung like a slap on the cheek.

"You should've just destroyed the Strike back at Heliopolis. You had a chance, but you hesitated! Why didn't you do it Athrun!" Yzak's voice rose in pitch, as he leaned across the table, almost screaming to Athrun's face.

"Yes, I know," he answered meekly. He was in no mood to argue. Besides, from the slight tremble in Yzak's voice, he knew it was just the other boy's way of letting out his anguish.

"If, if you had... Then, then Nicol and Dearka would still be here right now! You're the team captain, why couldn't you protect them!" Yzak spat in Athrun's face.

"_I know that_!" Athrun snapped back. "I destroyed the Strike, didn't I?"

At that, Yzak fell silent. He looked away and sat down, staring at his food.

What Yzak didn't know was that in order for Athrun to take revenge, he had to destroy another friend of his.

And even so, no amount of tears and vengeance can bring his friends back.

---

Word count: 391


	2. Neo and Miriallia: Grateful

**Title/theme: **GRATEFUL  
**Approx time line: **Phase 35-37 of GSD  
**Characters:** Neo and Miriallia  
**Summary: **_"They don't hate you, you know. In fact, they're all grateful to you, as am I"_

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"Here," Miriallia mumbled as she placed the tray unceremonially in front of the blond man sitting on the infirmary bed.

He looked at her blankly, whether he was wondering why she was giving him food, or why it was her that brought it, she didn't know, nor did she really care.

"Thanks," he mumbled as he picked up the fork.

Miriallia sighed as she straightened up. She smiled ironically. This reminded her of a time before, when she brought food to _him_. She sighed. _Why am I always the one to bring food to prisoners…_

She glanced over at the man who looked startling like somebody she knew, and knitted her brows.

_But he's not _really _a prisoner is he…_

She couldn't exactly describe his status (nor could any of the other crewmembers). He wasn't exactly a prisoner, since the Captain didn't order for him to be taken to the brig even though his injuries have pretty much healed. Yet he was still chained to the bed and had guards escort him when he needed to go somewhere.

None of the crewmembers knew what to do with him, and nobody asked the Captain either. Because they knew she had her reasons.

Looking upon his familiar, yet foreign face, it made Miriallia feel sad, then angry. She remembered seeing the Captain's shaken figure leaning against the hallway that day, and her tears of sorrow as she cried on Miriallia's shoulder, and felt a sudden urge to yell at him, to force him to remember.

_She should be crying out of joy and relief at seeing you, not out of sadness!_

Miriallia took a step forward as her fists clenched. But she stopped herself and took deep breath to calm herself.

_Stop it Milly. He's only this way because he sacrificed himself to save _your _life, remember? _She bit her lip as she recalled herself on the bridge that day, both relieved and shaken to realize that she was still alive, as she watched the bright light that took away the Strike with wide eyes.

She remembered once, when she had felt this kind of resentment towards him before. That was a long time ago (or so it seemed to her), the fateful day when she had lost contact with the Skygrasper and the Strike. She remembered blaming the Commander for not being able to protect Kira and her dear Tolle. But since then, she had experienced many things, and she learned that there are certain things in life beyond anyone's control, and there's nothing that anyone can do about it.

Maybe _this_ was one of those situations too.

"Are you angry with me too?"

His sudden voice startled Miriallia out of her reverie, and she found herself staring into a pair of narrowed blue eyes.

"No, I, I…" she stepped back, surprised that he seemed to be reading her mind.

He sighed. "It seems that everyone on this ship's angry with me. It's because…"

Miriallia looked back at him when he trailed off, and was surprised to see that he looked…sad.

"It's because I made her cry isn't it," he finished off softly.

"That's not…" she started to say automatically, but trailed off as she realized that she was thinking of the exact thing just a moment ago.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

Miriallia looked at him with wide eyes. Did he just apologize?

"Why are you apologizing to me?" she mumbled.

"Hmm? Oh," he made a noise in the back of his throat that resembled a chuckle. "Right."

"But, for some reason, I don't know why, even though I despise this ship, there's a familiarity about it. As if… as if I can't stand it if it ever got destroyed."

Miriallia gasped. And that feeling of sadness washed over her once again. Thinking over what he had just said made her want to cry. _You really don't remember do you…yet it seems that you still do…_

"They don't hate you, you know," she told him softly, picking up the empty tray. "The crew I mean. In fact, they're all grateful to you, as am I."

He could only stare at her in incomprehension as she left the room without another word.

As the door slid shut behind her, Miriallia let out a sigh.

_I sincerely hope that you would remember one day…for all of our sakes._

_---_

Word count: 726

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AN: hmm, Miriallia and Neo eh, bet you didn't think of that one, but I find it interesting to have a conversation between these two, and wonder what Milly thinks of Neo and his "situation". I guess I was partly influenced by the Conversation series by mumyou nanashi, what with the conversation between unlikely characters... 


	3. Dearka and Miriallia: Parting

**Title/theme: **PARTING  
**Approx time line: **Between GS and GSD  
**Characters:** Dearka and Miriallia  
**Summary: **_"What could she say to make him stay?"_

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"I'm leaving."

Those words dug into her like a knife.

"What?" she spun around, looking at him oddly. "Why?

He sighed. "You know why. The PLANTs are my home."

She lowered her head. "Yes. Yes I know that, but…" she couldn't find the right words to say.

"I'm sorry Miriallia."

She refused to meet his violet eyes. "Fine. Just, go."

But he didn't move.

"I'm sorry. It's just that, I'm still obligated to protect my home."

"Even though the war is over?" she protested.

He looked down. "Yes. Because I'm still a soldier of ZAFT."

"But you—"

Miriallia wanted to say that he wasn't considered a soldier anymore because he defected in the last war, but quickly bit her tongue.

"I know." He seemed to know what she'd wanted to say. "Under normal circumstances, I would've been executed for deserting. But the Chairman has chosen to make an exception for Athrun and me, and me especially. That's why," he looked at her, hoping that she would understand, "That's why I'm indebted to serve them."

She was silent. She wasn't sure what to say. What could she say to make him stay?

"You don't have to go Dearka. The war's over. You don't need to be a soldier anymore," she reasoned. "And you're only 17. You've got your whole life ahead of you! You're too young to give your life to the military."

He laughed mirthlessly. "Look Miriallia, we're not kids anymore. We've throw again all claims of being children when we decided to put on our uniforms."

"But—"

She considered what he said, and realized that it was true. But still… She never considered that when she decided to enlist. Perhaps it was spur-of-the-moment, perhaps it was because her friends were all enlisting, or perhaps it was because the ship needed crew at the time. But even though she had decided to become part of the military and part of the fighting, she'd never really thought of herself as a "soldier". That word still seemed foreign when applied to her. She supposed that it was different for him, having gone through formal training and all. But the thought of him returning to the military now bothered her. Wasn't bringing peace so that no one would have to fight again the whole point of ending the war?

"So you're going to stay a soldier all your life?" she asked quietly

He was taken aback by her question. "Uh, I haven't thought that far into the future, but for now…It's what I can do, so I might as well do it."

But she was still not satisfied.

"I know you think it's stupid and unreasonable," he sighed, resting a hand on her shoulder, "But we've got to have someone to help _maintain_ this peace. And besides," his hand slid off her shoulder, "I can't let Yzak do that alone."

She was silent. Maybe she was beginning to understand him a bit better. Maybe the reason she wanted him to stay was a selfish one after all.

"I mean," he continued when she didn't reply, "I can't let him get all the glory now can I?" he grinned in his goofy way.

"Fine," she finally answered, crossing her arms. "Do what you want. It's your life."

He laughed and picked up his suitcase. "All right, if you say so."

"Just," she dropped her arms to her sides and said in a small voice, "Just don't die on me, okay?"

He grinned "Really? Even though you tried to kill me once upon a time?"

He thanked his Coordinator reflexes as he barely managed to dodge the foot aimed at his legs.

"Sorry, sorry, I was just kidding!" he explained, laughing nervously.

Then suddenly, he straightened up and saluted her. "Don't worry Miriallia, I won't die on you."

He started to turn, but suddenly paused as if remembering something.

"Would you like to come with me, to the PLANTs?" he asked, almost as an afterthought.

"Eh?" she stared back at him, surprised. She had never considered that before. "I, I…" The idea of traveling to an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people didn't sit too well with her.

Before she could formulate a proper answer, Dearka chuckled and sighed.

"Ah how silly of me to ask. You have your own family and friends, and your own dreams to pursue here, so of course you wouldn't want to leave."

He smiled at her. "Well then, I guess I'd better be off now. You take care too, 'kay." With a wink, he turned towards the shuttle.

As he walked away from her, Miriallia felt a slight stinging of tears at her eyes. It was ironic how their relationship had started and progressed. Fate was mean that way, just when she thought she was starting to think that he was a good guy…

She sighed and turned to the direction of her home, hoping that the red string of Fate would bring them back together again someday.

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_AN: yes I said no romantic relationships, but this idea got into my head. I'm sure I'm not the only one disappointed with how the events relating to this relationship turned out in Destiny, and I've wondered under what circumstances they happened, so I wrote this. (okay, Milly said she dumped him, but I don't really believe that) Technically it's not really 'romantic' 'cause it doesn't really have any romance factor here (they're more like friends here anyway), at least, that's my excuse._


End file.
